Phonograph arrangement



Jan. 14, 1947. c. w. DANN m; 2,414,140

PHONOGRAPH ARRANGEMENT Charles M Dam: Richard Mfiomers Jan. 14, 1947. c. w. DANN- ETAL PHONOGRAPH ARRANGEMENT 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1943 k-m- Izar-Zes W. .Da'rzrz Rz'chardM.Smzer.s

Otfqrneg Patented Jan. 14, 1947 PHGNOGRAPH ARRANGEMENT Charles W. Darin, Orange, and Richard M. Scmers, West Orange, N. 1., assignors to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 8, 1943, Serial No. 509,518

13 Claims.

Our invention relates to phonograph arrangements wherein two or more phonographs ar intercoupled for sequential operation, and relates particularly to a unitary system for intercoupling a pair of separate phonographs of the dictatingmachine type, which system is adapted so that it may be readily attached to the machines and be readily detached when the separate dictating machines are to be used singly.

Many establishments have as part of th ir OfilCe equipment two or moredictating machines which are normally used singly during odd hours of the day for dictating reports, letters, memoranda, etc. At these same establishments there may be occasional need for a machine for recording and reproducing matters of a con tinuous character such as conference proceedings, telephone conversations, etc.; but it may not appear economically justifiable to purchase a special dual machine just for this purpose. By our invention, however, two such single machines on hand may be readily interconnected for recording and reproducin relatively continuous matters. This is accomplished by providing a coupling apparatus of relatively sma l cost which can be readily attached to two separate dictating machines to interconnect them for sequential operation and be also readily detached so that the separate machines may be used singly as needed. It is accordingly a general object of our invention to enable normally singly-used dictating machines to be interconnected for sequential operation by the mere attachment of a simple unitary coupling system thereto.

Our invention has been adapted to acousticaltF/pe phonographs such as are disclosed in Langley Patent No. 2,150,554, and we do herein illustrate and describe our invention in connection with this type of phonograph. It will however be understood that we intend no unnecessary limitation of our invention to this type of phonograph for l e broader aspects of our invention have application to phonographs generally.

Acoustical-type phonographs, or dictating machines, are provided with speaking tubes and on these speaking tubes there are provided manually operable controls for putting the machines into and out of operation. accordance with the abovementicned Langley patent, the speaking tube and afiixed controls each have a separable connection with the phcnographic machine by which they may be readily detached as a unit,

this facility for detachment having been provided so that the speaking tube may be removed when.

thehmachine is not in use and the machine be then enclosed by a. small closely-fitting cabinet. Our invention is particularly applicable to this type of phonograph such as is now manufactured and sold, for it may comprise a, pair of interconnected control or coupling units that may be mounted on the machines in the place of the speaking tubes, which coupling system" may be adapted to interconnect the control systems of the two phonographs so that, on completion of a trav ersal of the sound-translating device across the record of one machine, the other machine will be automatically started, and vice versa, whereby to provide a continuous phonograph operation. As an additional feature of this particular application of our invention, there may be provided an electro-acoustical transducer in each coupling" unit for conditionin the acoustical machine for recording electrical sound-representing signals. This conversion of the machines for recording and reproducing electrical signals is highly important because sequential phonograph arrangements are used commonly for recording conference proceedlugs and the like, wherein a large amplification of the voice energy is needed to obtain a satisfactory level of recordation on therecord.

Our invention contemplates that the coupling units be interconnected by a flexible means, and that this means may be either of a mechanical or electrical type. We preferably employ, however,

a flexible mechanical connection-suitably, for example, a Bowden wire-for we find this type of connection permits a great simplification in the structure of the coupling system, provides a wide latitude in control of the phonographic machines and assures a dependable operation.

It is an object of our invention to provide im" phonographs as now constructed for interconnecting pairs of phonographs for. such sequential operation, and which may be readily detached to permit the separate phono-graphs to be used singly, as desired.

It is another object to provide a unitary system for intercoupling phonographs for sequential operation which permits the separate phono.

graphsto be used singly, as desired.

It is another object to provide a unitary system for interco-upling phonogra-phs for sequential operation which permits the phonographs so intercoupled to be differently positioned relative to one another as may be convenient.

It is another object to provide a unitary a tachable system for interconnecting a pair of" tial operation, which is simple in constructiom flexible in control and dependable in operation.

These and other objects of our inventionwill i more fully appear from the following. description acoustical-type phonograph, taken on the line- 3-3 of Figure 9but with parts broken away, andshowing one. of the coupling; units of ourinvention applied thereto;

Figure 4. is a partial bottom view of one such coupling; unit with a' cover' part removed to show the. interior" construction.- thereof;

Figurefi is a partial sectional view of one such coupling 'unittaken on the lined-4' of Figure 4;

Figure: 6" is a" top plan View, with the cover removed-,1 of; one: such coupling unit;

Figure 7.. is a detailed sectional view taken on the line: 'I.-'li of Figure 6;

Figure:8:is: adetailed view taken on the line 8-8 1 of Figure 6;

Figurei -is a partial-front View of two phonographic machines as. intercoupled'by our invention;;.

Figure: 1.0.is adiagrammatic'view of thecircuits and mechanism of a-Jdual phonograph arrangement accordingto. ourinvention; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the rotary switch structure of. one" of the coupling units.

In; the: drawings there is. shown a common.

variety of acoustical-type dicta-ting machine. As appears in Figures l, 3 and 9 this machine has.

a carriage l for a sound-translating device 2,.

which is. mounted" slidably 'on a pair of cross rods 3 and 3a fortravelingmovementalong a record support 4. The record support is" typically of amandrel type adapted for supporting a cylindrical'record 5. The crossrods are carried-byupright side standardsti ofiaframe liandathe record by way; of a.be1t H; to. a: drive. pulley-l2: This pulleyisijournalled tothe leftzstandard. 6 of. the

frame and"; 183001113186. by way: of: a clutch is. to.

the. mandrel shaft; The. motor. It alsohasa drive connection to the carriage. for: feeding.v

theitrans'latingdevice along-the record. 5.. This drive connection is completed. by way or a. feed. screw l4. that is: journalled to the standards; 5

and coupled by gearing; I15: tothe. mandrel shaft;

and a feed nut 56 which is pivoted to the carriage l for movement into and out of engagement with the feed screw. This abovedescribed mechanism for producing a relative progressive movement between the translating device 2 and record 5- that is, a rotation of the record and concomitant traveling movement between thetransla-ting device and the record we herein reierto as the operating or drive mechanism of the machine.

In the usual acoustical-type phonograph the power supply circuit for the motor iii, which referred to as it in Figure 19, seriaily includes a so-called hook. switch l8. This hook switch comprises a pivoted arm 49 which projects for- 1 wardly from the frame I and serves as a sup port, during non-use'of the machine; for a speaking tube 20, this tube being provided for conducting sound to and from the translating device 2 as is shown in Figure 1. The weight of the tube on the arm 49 serves to hold the switch I8 open and keep the motor [El idleduring nonuse of the machine, but when the tube is removed the arm 19 is moved upwardly under the influenceof a spring (not shown) to close the circuit ll and start the motor running.

The clutch i3 is controlled by an electromag netic clutch device 25 mounted underneath the frame 1. This device is coupled to the clutch by way of a link 22 and a lever 23 which is shown in Figures 3 and 9. The clutch device is preferably constructed according to U. S. Langley Patent No. 1,380,486, to which reference may be had for details of its construction.. For the present purpose, the clutch device is sufiiciently described by the statements that it comprises a pair of start and stop electromagnets 24 and 25 (see Figure 10), a pivoted armature 26 which is connected to the aforementioned link 22 and attractable alternately by the electromagnets upon their respective energizations, and circuit means for automatically opening the circuit 01 the electromagnet last energized upon attraction of the armature thereto and for concomitantly preparing the circuit of the other. electromagnet for I next energization. This circuit means may comprise'a single-pole double-throw switch having a pole member 2? connected to one side of the power supply line i? and operated directly by the armature 2%,. and cooperating switch contacts 28 and connected serially to the respective electromagnets and so positioned that the contact connected to'one electromagnet is en gaged by the pole member 2.? when the armature has been attracted to the other electromagnet, and vice versa.

For controlling the clutch device 2|, there is provided a manual single-pole double-throw switch 31) which is typically placed on the outer portion of the speaking tube 20 as is shown in Figure'l. This switch has its pole member. 3|- connected to one side of the power line I! which is opposite to that to which the pole member 21 i connected and has itsswitch contact members 32 and 33 connected. respectively to the start and stop electromagnets, 24 and,25. The, pole member of this manual switch is biased to stop posi-- tior that is, a position wherein it is closedwith:

clutch; vice.versa,. on releasingthe pole. member 3! current. is supplied momentarily'to; the. stop;

electromagnet andthe armature is attracted to disengage the clutch.

The sound-translating device 2, which may have any suitable construction, is herein illustrated as being of the type described in Dunning et al. Patent No. 2,279,227 to which reference may be had for details of its construction. For the present purpose the device is sufficiently described as having a tubular neck 34 for conducting sound to and from the device, recording and reproducing styli 35 and 36 for cooperation with the record 5, and a pair of lifting fingers 31 for selectively raising and lowering the styli into and out of engagement with the record. These lifting fingers are pivoted to the carriage l and controlled by a cam member 38 that is splined at 39 to the cross rod 3 (see Figure 3). To control these fingers, there is a hand lever 39 which is pivoted at 40 to the carriage and coupled by a link 4! to the cam member, the rod 3 being journalled in the standards 6 to permit the cam member to be rocked back and forth by the hand lever. The control action of the hand lever is typically such that when the lever is in the raised position it occupies in Figure 1, the reproducing stylus is in engagement with the record; that when the hand lever is in a lowered position indicated by dash-dot lines in Figure 1, the recording stylus is in engagement with the record; and that when the lever is at a mid or neutral position both styli are held raised from the record.

The hand lever 39 is also adapted to disengage the feed nut Hi from the feed screw l4 when the lever is in the neutral position abovementioned. In order that the feed nut may be so controlled, it is mounted on a lever 42 which is pivoted at 43 to the carriage I a shown in Figure 3. ,A spring 44 acts on the lever 42 and urges the feed nut into engagement with the feed screw. When the hand lever 39 is in recording and reproducing positions, the lever 42 is under the sole influence of the spring 44 and the feed nut is then engaged. However, when the hand lever is moved to neutral position, a pin 45 on the cam member 38 engages a forwardly-extending arm 42a of the lever 42 and cams this lever against the restraining force of the spring 44 to disengage the feed nut.

Surrounding the tubular neck 34 of the soundtranslating device 2 is a cylindrical housing 46 (see Figure 3) made of an insulating material such as of Bakelite. This housing fits into the lower part of a circular upstanding flange 41 provided on the frame of the translating device 2} It is held in place .by pins or screws 4511 as shown in Figure 2. This housing has four equidistantly spaced spring terminals 48. Three of these terminals are connected to the clutch device 2| by the leads 49, these being the leads which connect the manual switch 30 to the clutch device as aforementioned; a fourth lead 49 shown in Figure 2 serves with the lead to the pole of switch 38 to supply power to a signal lamp 55 typically provided on the speaking tube 20 as shown in Figure 1. From the housing 48 these leads extend through an apertured boss 41a of the flange 41 and then through a cable 5| along the side of the carriage l to below the frame I. The spring terminals 48 respectively carry contact buttons 52 which extend radially inwardly through the housing 46. On the inner part of the speaking tube 25 there is a circular cap 53 which is adapted to fit swivelingly onto the flange 4 Extendi g down from the central portion of this cap is a short tube 54 which is adapted to telescope on the tubular neck 34 exteriorly thereof. The details of construction of this tube 54 are not shown in the drawings since they are the same as of the corresponding part of our invention hereinafter described. For the present, it may be noted that this tube 54 is typically made of an insulating material such as of Bakelite, that it has four equidistantly spaced arcuate terminals set into the exterior surface thereof and connected to the manual switch 30 and signal lamp 50 in the manner aforementioned. and that When the cap 54 is in mounted position these terminals contact the buttons 52 to complete the connections from the manual switch 39 and signal lamp 50 to the power supply circuit i5 and clutch device 28. Additionally, it may be noted that for releasably retaining the cap 53 swivelingly to the translating device, the tube 54 is provided with an exterior annular groove which the contact buttons 52 engage under their spring pressure, and that for limiting the range of swiveling movement of the speaking tube the cap thereof is provided vn'th a front fin 53a which engages a wide notch 4122 provided in the flange 41 of the translating device.

It will be understood that the apparatus hereinabove described is common to dictating machines such as have been heretofore manufactured and sold, and that this apparatu forms a part of our invention only by way of its combination with the apparatus hereinafter described.

In accordance with our invention, we provide a unitary coupling system for phonographs which comprises two identical control or coupling units 55 having a flexible interconnection 56 as shown in Figure 9. These coupling units are adapted to be attached to the respective phonographs. In the present illustrative embodiment of our invention, these units are attached to the phonographs in the place of the detachable speaking tubes 24, and by that attachment the two dictating machines are intercoupled for automatic sequential operation and are adapted for recording and reproducing electrical sound-representing signals, as aforementioned.

Each coupling unit 55 has a frame 51 made suitably of stamped flat metal parts and a cover 550. On the bottom of this frame there is secured a hollow cylindrical Bakelite housing '58 from which projects a central tube 59 adapted to telescope over the tubular neck 34 of the soundtranslating device, this being the tube correspondlng to the tube 54 of the speaking tube. This tube 59 has four equidistantly-spaced arcuate terminals 55 embedded in the exterior surface thereof and has an annular exterior groove 6| as shown in Figure 3. When the coupling unit is in mounted position, the contact buttons 52 engage the groove Bl under their spring pressure to make contact with the respective terminals 60 and to detent the coupling unit to the soundtranslating device. The terminals 50 extend up into the housing 58 and are therein provided with Wings 52 which are bent over and anchored by pins 53 to the upper part of the housing as shown.

ferred as it is typically" very thin. This transducer has a tubular sound outlet 51, preferably of a. conical-exterior shape, which is adapted to engage the" upper inner edge, of the tubular neck 34, and extend into the neck to form a substantially closed sound coupling between the transducer and translating device. The transducer is secured to the frame by an overlying bracket 68 which. engages an upturned apertured lug 61a of the frame at one end and is held to the frame by a screw 59 at the other end. Electrical connection to the transduceris made by means of a cable 19.

Mounted above the transducer 66- is a singlepole. double-throw: switch H of the rotary type. Thisswitch has three fiat spring'arms 12 mounted insulatedly in cantilever fashion on a flat plate 1-3 that is supported by a bracket M of the frame 51. The arms are spring-biased downwardly against a pivoted switch structure "It shown in Figure ll. This switch structure includes a shaft El jo-urnalled in a pair of apertured lu s E8 of the frame 51, which shaft has an extending end portion thereof offset to form a crank Tia for the switch structure. On the shaft ll between the lugs 18 there are secured front and back insulating plates 19 and 80 which have sector shapes such as are indicated in Fig ure- 7. These insulating plates are secured rigidly together but in spaced relation along the shaft by means of two rivets 8! and pairs of intervening spacers $2 on. the rivets. Each of the insulating plates has. a peripheral surface at constant radius relative to the shaft H, or dwell 83, and a receding peripheral surface or recess 84. fhe recess on the. front insulating plate 19 is at the clockwise end of the dwell 83 thereof while the recess of the back plate 89 is at the counterclockwise end of the dwell thereof, and in the an. gular range between the recesses there is a substantial overlap of the dwells of the respective insulating, plates. At. the recesses of the respective insulating plates. there are secured identically shaped switch contact members 85. The contact surfaces. of these switch members extend beyond the recesses and form an even arcuate extension of the dwells of the respective plates. These switch contact members are held to the insulating. plates by the rivets 8! but, being identicaily shaped, they are pointed in. opposite directions. Between the spacers 82 on each rivet 8! there is clamped a third switch contact member 8! having. a dwell along its full peripheral surface. The rivets SI. spacers 82 and switch contact members 85 and 86 are all made of a conductive material such as of brass, and are accordingly electrically connected together. It is against the dwells of the insulating plates 19 and S8 andof the switch contact members 85 and 86 that the arms 72 slidably bear.

The. switch arms 72 are connected to three of the arcuate terminals 63 of the coupling unit by a three-wire cable 88; the fourth one of the terminals Eil-the one contacting the contact buttonv 52 that connects to the lamp 5! when the speaking, tube 29 is attachedbeing not used. This. cable. 8!! may fold over the side of the coupling unit, and enter through a ferrule 89 into the cylindrical housing 58 wherein the. leads thereof are soldered to the three respective terminals just mentioned. These leads are so connected tothe terminals 63 that when the coupling unit is in mounted position the central one of the arms i2--which is the pole member. of. the, rotary switch li -is connected. directly to. one side offthe powersupplylin'e H. (see Figure 10.) the. front) one of the. arms. .72 is. connected. to the.

3 start electromagnet 24, and the back one. of th arms i2 is connected to the stop: electromagnet When theshaft TI is in a most counterclockwiseposition-a position wherein the crank 11a thereof is inclined downwardly and to the right as shown in Figure 9-the forward switch arm l2 engages the respective switch contact member 85 and a closed circuit is formed from the central or pole arm '82 through the front arm 12 to the start electromagnet, this being the start position for the switch H. Provided of course the hand lever 35 is in recordin or reproducing position and the hook switch I8 is closed, which it normally will be, the left machine of the phonograph. arrangements shown in Figures 9 and 10 will now. be in operation and thetranslating device thereof will be advanced gradually across the rotating record 5. When the translating device nears the end of its rightward travelwhich we herein term its terminal positionthe crank Ha is impinged against the right standard 6 and the shaft- TI is turned gradually in a clockwise direction. (In order that the coupling unit 55 will be restrained against being turned by the force exerted by the standard 6 against the crank 11a,

the coupling unit has a bracket 95) on its frontv lower portion which engages the notch 41b of the. flange M.) As the shaft '5'! is so turned thefront switch arm 72 first breaks'connection with the respective switch contact member 85 and enters, onto the dwell 83 of the insulating plate 19, but it will be understood that this break in the circuit connection between the front and middle arms '12 produces no direct control action because, as afore-explained, the circuit of the start electromagnet is already open, being opened automatically as an incident of the engagement of the clutch. Both the front and back arms now ride on the dwells 83 of the respective insulating plates 19 and 88, but in a further continued advance of the carriage the shaft 11 is turned further clockwise to cause the back arm #2 to ride onto the respective contact member 85. This closes the circuit between the central and back arms 72 and supplies current to the stop electromagnet to cause the clutch it to be disengaged.

The connection 58 between the coupling units is for intercoupling the rotary switches 11 so that the operation of either of these switches willcause the other to be automatically operated. Preferably, the connection 56 i of Bowden-wire type comprising a flexible armored cable 9! which is anchored at the ends into rigid tubular parts 511) provided on the frames 5'5, and a. flexible wire 92 which extends through this cable. The ends of this wire are connected to arms 93 secured to. the shaft W, and the length of the wire is so selected that, with the wire taut, the following, two conditions will be fulfilled: (1) the rotary switch ll of one coupling unit will be in stop position when that of the other unit is in start position, and (2) the said one switch will enter startposition when the other has been movedmidway from start to stop position. It will be understood that the start position of each switch begins when initial contact ismade between the:

front switch arms 72 and respectiveswitchmembore 85, and that to fulfill condition ('2) without imposing strain on the interconnection 56, the.

9 the other machine is moved from mid to stop position.

The sequential operation of the two phonographs in the dual arrangement above described will be understood to be as follows: First, sup pose that the carriage of the idle machine is rest ing in initial position and that the carriage of the operating machine is being driven across the record, the operating machine being in this case the leftward one of the two machines shown in Figures 9 and 10. When the carriage of the operating machine nears terminal position to cause the switch H thereof to be moved from start position to mid position, the switch H of the other machine is moved from stop position into start position and the idle machine is thereby started. Both machines will then be in operation while the switch 'H of the first-operating machine is being moved onwardly from mid position to stop position, whereupon the first-operating machine is automatically stopped. During the traversal of the carriage of the second machine across the record, the attendant. will shift the hand lever 39 of the first machine to neutral position, manually return the carriage to initial position, replace the used record,'and then return the hand lever 39 back to operating (recording or reproducing) position. When the carriage of the second machine nears its terminal position, it will start the first machine and thereafter stop itself. Since in this procedure there is an overlap of operation of both machines at the transition in operation from one machine to the other, there is probetween the arm 93 and shaft 11 of each unit.

The arm 99 may have a hub portion in the form of a bail (see Figure 6); and adjacent this hub portion there is an arm 96 which is rigidly secured to the insulating plate '19 of the rotary switch structure Iii by a stud 99a and provided with a turned-over lug 91 that overhangs a short arm 98 of the bail. The spring 95 is hooked between this lug and the arm 93, and normally yieldably presses the short arm 99 against the lug 91. However, on moving both switches H into stop position at the same time, this spring 95 yields so as not to impose any heavy strain on the intercoupling between the two units 55,

In some instances it may be desired to have both switches H placeable simultaneously into start position so that both machines may operate at the same time. In order that this may be done the Bowden wire is linked to the arm 93 through a one-way coupling 98 shown in Figure 3. For instance, the ends of the wire may connect to rigid links 99 which pass slidably through apertured studs I00, that are pivoted to the arms 93, and then terminate in heads I01. In normal operation the studs bear against the heads to provide a tension coupling between the pivoted switch arms 93, but when both switches are shifted simultaneously to start position the studs I00 will slide downwardly along the links 99.

By interconnecting the coupling units 55 with a mechanical means as above described We ob- It will be understood that the cables l0 to the transducers 66 constitute the signal input circuits for the phonographs when they are to be operated for recording and the signal output circuits when the phonographs are to be operated for reproducing. Thus, when the phonographs are used to record from and to reproduce into electrical sound systems involving electrical amplifi cation, the cables 10 will be connected to the output of the amplifier of such sound system during recording and to the input of the amplifier during reproducing, such amplifier and circuit control connections as may be provided being not herein necessary to show. i

We have herein particularly shown and described an embodiment of our invention as applied to an existing type of dictating machine. This embodiment illustrates clearly the broader aspects of our invention as well as specific details of one preferred construction thereof, but no unnecessary limitation of our invention to the details of this embodiment or tothe details of construction of the dictating machine to which our invention is herein applied is intended. It will, for example, be understood that our invention is applicable to phonographs wherein the relative progressive movement between the record and translating device is produced by moving either the record or the translating device with respect to the other, that the drive or operating mechanism may be controlled by wholly electrical or mechanical means, and that the audio system for the machine may be wholly or the acoustical or electroacoustical type, for the adaptation of our invention to phonographs differing in these and other respects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. Also, it Will be understood that the embodiment herein disclosed may be modified in other ways without departing fro-m the scope of our invention, which we endeavor to express according to the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a dual phonograph arrangement comprising two separate phonographic machines respectively including a rotatable record support, a phonographic translating device and an operating mechanism for rotating said support and concomitantly producing a relative progressive movement between said support and translating device: a detachable unitary system intercoupling said machines for sequential operation comprising two control units respectively detachably mounted on said machines and adapted for starting and stopping said. operating mechanisms respectively; a coupling between said control units, including a flexible operable portion permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one another, for causing either unit to be placed into start position upon the other being operated into stop position, and. vice versa; and means, coupled to each translating device and operated by the relative progressive movement between said record support and the 1 1 translating device for causing operation of the respective control unit.

2. A dual phonograph arrangement comprising two separate phonographic machines respectively including a rotatable record support, a movably mounted phonographic translating device and an operating mechanism for rotating said support and concomitantly moving said translating device from initial to terminal positions: a detachable unitary system intercoupling said machines for sequential operation comprising two control units respectively detachably mounted on said machines and adapted for starting and stopping said operating mechanisms respectively; means coupled to said units and operated by said respective translating devices in the movements thereof into terminal positions for placing the respective units into stop position; and-a coupling between said control units, including a flexible operable portion permitting said machines to be moved independently of one another for causing either unit to be placed into start position upon the other being operated into stop position.

3. A detachable system for coupling for sequential operation two phonographic machine-s each having an operating mechanism and a device for putting the mechanism into and out of operation,

,said system comprising a control unit for each 1 of said devices; separable means for detachably mounting said control units onto said machines respectively and for concurrently efiecting operative control connections of the units to said devices respectively; a control mechanism on each of said units movable into start and stop positions to put the respective operating mechanism into and out of operation, each of said units and respective devices being adapted to maintain the respective operating mechanism in operation during movement of the respective control member from start to stop position and to maintain the mechanism out of operation during movement of the control member from stop to start position; and means intercoupling said control units, including a flexible operable portion permitting independent movement of said machines relative .to one another, for causing either control member to be move-d into start position upon the other control member being moved through a first portion of its travel from start to stop position.

4. The subject matter as set forth in claim 3 wherein said intercoupling means comprises a flexible mechanical connection between said control members, and wherein each control member has a freedom of movement beyond start position to permit either control member to be moved freely through the final portion of its travel from start to stop position.

5. The subject matter as set forth in claim 4, wherein said intercoupling means comprises a mechanical connection between said control members and yieldable means in said connection for permitting either control member to be moved onwardly into stop position while the other control member is retained in stop position.

6. The subject matter as set forth in claim 3, wherein said intercoupling means comprises a mechanical connection between said control -members and a one-way coupling in said connection for permitting both control members to occupy start positions at the same time.

7. A unitary detachable system for coupling for sequential operation two separate phonographic machines each having an operating mechanism and a device for putting the mechanism into and out of operation, said'system comprising a pair of control units; separablemeans for detachably mounting said control units .onto said machines respectively and for concurrently effecting operative control connections of the units to said devices, each of said control units having a control member movable into start and stop positions to control the respective one of said devices; and a flexible Bowden wire coupling between the control members of said unit, permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one another, for causing either control member to be moved into start position upon the other control member being moved towards stop position.

8. In an arrangement for intercoupling a pair of phonographic machines for sequential operation, said machines respectively including a record support, a phonographic translating device and an operating mechanism for producing a traveling movement of said device relative to said support: the combination of a control unit for each of said operating mechanisms; separable means for detachably securing saidvcontrol units to said respective phonographic translating devices and for concurrently eifecting operative control connections of said units with said oper- -ating mechanisms respectively; control members on said units movable into start and stop positions to put said operating mechanisms into and out of operation; flexible means intercoupling said control units and permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one an" other for moving the control member of one unit into start position upon the other control member being moved to stop position; and members on said machines for abutting against said control members and moving the same between start and stop positions in response to the traveling movement of said respective translating devices. 9. In an arrangement for adapting a pair of separate acoustical-type phonographic machines for recording electrical sound-representing oscillations and intercoupling said machines for sequential operation, said phonographic machines respectively comprising a record support, a soundtranslating device, an operating mechanism for producing a progressive relative movement between said support and translating device and a control connection for said operating mechanism terminating at said translating device: the com bination of a pair of coupling devices each including an electroacoustical transducer and a control unit, said coupling device-s being adapted for detachable mounting onto said respective sound-translating devices in position wherein each transducer feeds into the respective translating device; means for connecting said control units with said respective control connections upon mounting said coupling devices, said control units being operable into start and stop positions for putting said respective mechanisms into and out of operation; and a coupling between said control units, including a flexible operable portion permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one another, for moving either unit into start position upon the other being moved to stop position.

10. In an arrangement for adapting a pair of separate acoustical-type phonographic machines for recording electrical sound-representing oscillations and intercoupling said machines for sequential operation, said phonographic machines respectively comprising a record support, a sound- .translating device a sound-transmission tube extending from said device, an operating mechanism for producing a progressive relative movement between said support and translating. de-

spective sound tubes, an electrical switch and cir- V cuit means for connecting said switch to the said respective circuit leads upon mounting the transducer, said switches being movable into start and stop positions to put said respective operating,

mechanisms into and out of operation; a flexible operable connection between said switches, permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one another for moving either switch into start position upon the other being moved to stop position; and means for causing said switches to be operated by a relative progressive movement of said respective translating devices.

11. An attachable system for coupling acoustical-type phonographs having movable soundtranslating devices, operating mechanisms for moving said translating devices from initial to terminal positions, and control circuits for said mechanisms terminating at said respective translating devices, said system comprising two electroacoustical transducers adapted to be mounted on said translating devices respectively; a pair of switches carried with said transducers respectively; circuit means for automatically electrically connecting said witches to said respective control circuits upon mounting said transducers;

means interconnecting said switches for causing ill means terminating at said device: a unitary detachable apparatus intercoupling said machines for sequential operation and adapting the machines for operation with electrical sound-representing audio systems, comprising a pair of coupling units detachably connected to said translating devices, each of said coupling units including an electroacoustical transducer coupled acoustically with the respective translating device, and a control device having operable coupling with said control connections when the unit is so mounted, said control devices being operable into start and stop positions to put the respective drive means into and out of operation; a coupling between said units, including a flexible operable portion permitting independent movement of said machines relative to one another, for causing one control device to be moved into start position as the other is moved into stop position, and vice versa; and means for causing said control devices to be operated by relative traveling movement between said respective translating devices and record supports. l

13. In a dual phonograph arrangement comprising two separate 'phonogr-aphic machines respectively including a phonographic translating device and an operating mechanism adapted for producing a traveling movement of said device between initial and terminal positions: a detachable unitary system intercoupling said machines for sequential operation comprising two control units respectively detachably mounted on said machines and adapted for starting and stopping said operating mechanisms respectively; a flexible coupling between said control units, permitting independent movement o-said machines relative to one another, for causing each unit to be operated by the other; and means, comprising an element coupled to each translating device and a respectively associated element mounted on the machine in the path of movement of said first-mentioned element, for causing operation of the control unit of each machine in response to a traveling movement of the respective translating device.

CHARLES W. DANN. RICHARD M. SOMERS. 

